Two very different projects scooped top prizes in the first ever Highland-wide youth citizenship awards, organised by Careers Scotland and The Highland Council.

Ullapool High School came first in the secondary school category with a highly ambitious tourism project.  Golspie High School was runner up.

The primary award was won by a renewable energy project from Holm Primary, Inverness.  Cullicudden Primary came second.

The awards, launched last November, attracted 25 entries from schools across the Highland Council area.  The top prize in each category was £1,000, with the runner up receiving £500.

The winners were named at a lunchtime ceremony in the Hilton hotel, Aviemore on Tuesday 22 June, before which all the finalists were treated to a trip on the Cairngorm mountain railway. 

Ullapool High School's winning entry came from third-year pupils Elizabeth Drake, Rona Eddington, Jennifer Gemmell, Ceri Mackenzie and Gillian Slider, under the direction of teacher Elspeth Davidson.

For almost three years, the pupils have acted as tour guides to Isle Martin on Loch Broom, taking visitors around the island and introducing them to its history and bird and animal life.

That's not all, however.  Inspired by the response to date, the girls now plan to convert buildings on the uninhabited island into an interpretation centre and a bunkhouse.

At Holm Primary, four P7 pupils have embraced renewable energy by buying their own small turbine which they plan to install on the school roof within the next few days.

Working with teacher Judith Jardine, pupils Raymond Henderson, Anna-Mairead Ferguson, David MacDonald and Rachael MacInnes sourced funding for the turbine and consulted council planners and energy specialists to ensure their project would meet regulations and perform to its full potential.

The awards judging panel was chaired by Matthew Maciver, chief executive of the General Teaching Council of Scotland.

"The young citizenship awards really was a refreshingly different type of project," said Mr Maciver.

"Every entry was concerned with reaching out to the community, but each school approached that challenge in its own way.

"Some sought ways to benefit the school itself, while others looked to the wider local community, the business community or even the global community.

"The entries overall showed a great deal of imagination and enterprise, with the winners demonstrating a strong sense of ownership of their projects. 

"Ullapool's entry in particular has the potential to be handed on to pupils coming up through the school, ensuring its benefits will be sustained and developed for years to come."